70 
The mass, it will be observed, of M. Le Verrier, is more 
than twice, that of Mr. Adams nearly three times, the true 
one The planet's actual distance falls short of its theoretical 
distance by about 500 millions of miles; its period of revolu- 
tion is fifty years shorter ; its eccentricity is only one-twelfth 
of the theoretical planet ; and its longitude of perihelion m 
1847 was only 47°, instead of 285° or 299°. The discrepancy 
as to the planet's heliocentric longitude I do not go into, as it 
would occupy too much time ; and I think I have shown enough 
(all of which is probably new to Mr. Warington) to prove to 
him and all present, that the discovery of Neptune is not such 
a perfect confirmation of the certainty of the Newtonian hypo- 
thesis as he believes * I must entirely object to bolstering up 
one theory in science by credulous appeals to other sciences, 
without investigation. It reminds me forcibly of the way in 
which idol-worship, that grossest of human absurdities, was 
maintained in its day, as described by the prophet Isaiah. t . 
But I must do Mr. Warington the justice to say, that m 
appealing to astronomy he only follows in the wake ol Mr. 
Darwin himself, and of Professor Huxley and Dr. Buchner. 
But I doubt whether any of those Darwinians who thus make 
appeals to astronomy have paid much attention to that science. 
I am sure Mr. Warington is too candid not to make a frank 
admission, or to put me right, on this point as regards him- 
self. But he must forgive me, if I am wrong ; for I think I 
have good reason to come to this conclusion, when I find him 
saying in his paper, that (C it would be impossible and absurd 
to discuss the motions of the fixed stars with the definition given 
that the fixed stars are those which never move,” as if he were 
unaware that it is precisely on that assumption that the 
theory of “ solar motion in space" was propounded by the 
first Herschel, and till recently had been the conclusion come 
to by all astronomers. t But Mr. Warington goes boldly beyond 
most people in his mode of “ sticking up," if I may so say, 
for the astronomy of the day. Even if Neptune had not been 
discovered, his faith would not have been shaken, however 
perturbed the planet JJranus might be. He is quite prepared 
to assume that the perturbations might be caused by some in- 
visible body ; and, of course, upon that hypothesis, the planets 
may move as erratically as they please, and we may always 
have an invisible, but quite conceivable cause, to explain the 
whole matter ! Upon this system of theorizing, it is quite 
* Vide Discovery of the Planet Neptune. By J. Von Gumpach ; in loc. 
t Is. xli. 7. I Airy’s Lectures on Astr ., 4th ed., p. 173. Vide, also, 
Journ. of Trans, of Viet. Inst., vol. i., p. 27. 
